Is this Dinoflagellates?

[Raphael Dalmeida]

Hi guys,

This is my first reef tank, its been setup for 2 months so far, though i did preserve the media that it came with so i barely had a cycle.

The tank was going really good till the past 2 weeks which i had increased feeding quite a bit and not sure if it was because i decreased it suddenly but i got a boom of some sort of algae.

I've done a Phosphate test = 0 and Nitrate between 0-5 which i assume it would be 0 as its very clear.

Alkalinity = 7
Mg = ~1600
CA = ~420
Salinity = 35ppm

Skimmer is running

Any help will be welcome thanks.


See some photos below that i have just taken:

 

[vetteguy53081]

Yes appears to be
Add 1ml of liquid bacteria per 10 gallons daily for 5-7 days And 1ml of hydrogen peroxide per 10 gallons at night . Turn off lights for 5 days and siphon this up before you start and clean filters daily and empty skimmer cup daily

 

[Raphael Dalmeida]

Yes appears to be
Add 1ml of liquid bacteria per 10 gallons daily for 5-7 days And 1ml of hydrogen peroxide per 10 gallons at night . Turn off lights for 5 days and siphon this up before you start and clean filters daily and empty skimmer cup daily

I put a UV filter running as well. Should i keep or remove it during treatment?
Also do i keep skimmer running too? and should i reduce or increase feeding?

Thanks for your help

 

[LiamPM]

Yes appears to be
Add 1ml of liquid bacteria per 10 gallons daily for 5-7 days And 1ml of hydrogen peroxide per 10 gallons at night . Turn off lights for 5 days and siphon this up before you start and clean filters daily and empty skimmer cup daily

Whats liquid bacteria? ATM colony or the likes? Seems odd to add that in small doses when its one of those that cant be overdosed so assuming its not what you mean - and is a nitryfying product.

Yes thats dinoflagellettes and its more than likely due to the zero PO4 and zero NO3.

Id strongly advise you do some real in depth reading regarding dinoflagellettes before acting - There are a few different types and each requires a different way to combat it. Its not a straight forward one to combat without the proper ID.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I put a UV filter running as well. Should i keep or remove it during treatment?
Also do i keep skimmer running too? and should i reduce or increase feeding?

Thanks for your help

Continue feeding but do not add coral foods or NoPox which is foods for dino

 

[vetteguy53081]

I put a UV filter running as well. Should i keep or remove it during treatment?
Also do i keep skimmer running too? and should i reduce or increase feeding?

Thanks for your help

Liquid bacteria-
Bacter 7 or bacter XLM

 

[vetteguy53081]

Whats liquid bacteria? ATM colony or the likes? Seems odd to add that in small doses when its one of those that cant be overdosed so assuming its not what you mean - and is a nitryfying product.

Yes thats dinoflagellettes and its more than likely due to the zero PO4 and zero NO3.

Id strongly advise you do some real in depth reading regarding dinoflagellettes before acting - There are a few different types and each requires a different way to combat it. Its not a straight forward one to combat without the proper ID.

Been doing this 36years. It’s the right amount. It boosts the cultures to overtake the bacteria fueling Dino
Dino is photosynthetic and lack of light is the real antedote, not the bacteria

 

[vetteguy53081]

I put a UV filter running as well. Should i keep or remove it during treatment?
Also do i keep skimmer running too? and should i reduce or increase feeding?

Thanks for your help

Run the UV during treatment. It will prevent new Dino from establishing
Follow what I mentioned to do. I have well over 149 people who were successful and greatful with this method

 

[LiamPM]

Been doing this 36years. It’s the right amount. It boosts the cultures to overtake the bacteria fueling Dino
Dino is photosynthetic and lack of light is the real antedote, not the bacteria

I was simply asking what liquid bacteria and now what cultures - seen as dinoflagellettes - although there are many, many types are largely related to having bottomed out PO4 and NO3 - Theytend thrive in very low nutrients. If that happens to be the case here then i would not be adding a bacteria thats based on nitrification being that it will just add to the issue of reducing NO3.

Much the same as only certain strains are effected by UV so UV isnt always a great way to combat them.

To the OP - I still advise you dig deeper into getting an ID for the type you have before acting too fast. The remedy is different depending on the strain.

 

[Raphael Dalmeida]

Thanks for the help guys.

Currently i don't have much in hand to be able to do much, i will get the nitrifying bacteria though.

So i just started by manually removing the excess with a toothbrush and siphoning, and have UV on as it can't hurt.
Also dosed the hydrogen peroxide 3% as you recommended.

Im just worried with the nitrates 0 or close to 0 wouldn't my nitrifying bacteria suffer from it?
Also i do have an acropora frag, a montipora frag and a few LPS. Would the lower lights be terrible to them?

Also i do have some live phytoplankton in a bottle i got from a local. Would that help fight the dinos or would just make it worst?


Cheers

 

[Duncan62]

Hi guys,

This is my first reef tank, its been setup for 2 months so far, though i did preserve the media that it came with so i barely had a cycle.

The tank was going really good till the past 2 weeks which i had increased feeding quite a bit and not sure if it was because i decreased it suddenly but i got a boom of some sort of algae.

I've done a Phosphate test = 0 and Nitrate between 0-5 which i assume it would be 0 as its very clear.

Alkalinity = 7
Mg = ~1600
CA = ~420
Salinity = 35ppm

Skimmer is running

Any help will be welcome thanks.


See some photos below that i have just taken:

I would say yes.

 

[Duncan62]

Thanks for the help guys.

Currently i don't have much in hand to be able to do much, i will get the nitrifying bacteria though.

So i just started by manually removing the excess with a toothbrush and siphoning, and have UV on as it can't hurt.
Also dosed the hydrogen peroxide 3% as you recommended.

Im just worried with the nitrates 0 or close to 0 wouldn't my nitrifying bacteria suffer from it?
Also i do have an acropora frag, a montipora frag and a few LPS. Would the lower lights be terrible to them?

Also i do have some live phytoplankton in a bottle i got from a local. Would that help fight the dinos or would just make it worst?


Cheers

Uv at night. Feed your tank. Maybe Blackout. It will pass. Blow off rocks and sand at lights out. Be patient.

 

[Lavey29]

Everything is just a bandaid fix unless you address the underlying water parameter problems. All your coral will die. Your alk is to low you mag is to high and your nitrate and phosphate are 0. You will have never ending tank problems until you correct these areas. Some of the steps people mentioned will help but the tank problems will never go away.

 

[Raphael Dalmeida]

Everything is just a bandaid fix unless you address the underlying water parameter problems. All your coral will die. Your alk is to low you mag is to high and your nitrate and phosphate are 0. You will have never ending tank problems until you correct these areas. Some of the steps people mentioned will help but the tank problems will never go away.

I will take the good advice which is addressing underlying water parameters, though not sure how the mag, alk and calcium affect the dinoflagellate?

The corals are actually doing well at the moment. Though i guess it's a problem if they get covered in algae or if the tank crashes due to the imbalance.

I guess I'm still learning on top of what people mentioned in this topic.

I've read that probably helps is establishing good micro algaes in the tank which will outcompete the nuisance algae and help the tank mature.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Aye? - Have you battled dinoflagellettes for 36 years too? Not even sure why you drop that there - Does length of time in the hobby automatical equal correct advice these days

I was simply asking what liquid bacteria and now what cultures - seen as dinoflagellettes - although there are many, many types are largely related to having bottomed out PO4 and NO3 - Theytend thrive in very low nutrients. If that happens to be the case here then i would not be adding a bacteria thats based on nitrification being that it will just add to the issue of reducing NO3.

Much the same as only certain strains are effected by UV so UV isnt always a great way to combat them.

To the OP - I still advise you dig deeper into getting an ID for the type you have before acting too fast. The remedy is different depending on the strain.

I’m talking about 36+ Years in hobby and Dino- well over a dozen years. I owned a pet store with many tanks and had to fight this stuff. Experience with Dino- yes
Experience equals advice and generally respectful advice, not smart comments

 

[LiamPM]

I’m talking about 36+ Years in hobby and Dino- well over a dozen years. I owned a pet store with many tanks and had to fight this stuff. Experience with Dino- yes
Experience equals advice and generally respectful advice, not smart comments

What part of my comment was smart when i simply asked you what "liquid bacteria" you are advising someone to add? Theres about 8.6 thousand types of bacteria that can be bought in a bottle - I asked what type you were telling someone to add seen as some may well fuel the growth.

Was a simple, not "smart" comment asking what you was advising for my own interest - The "smart", not respectful comment came from you feeling the need to tell someone how long youve been in the hobby like it automatically means youre a reef aquarist from above.

Thanks for the entertainment though

 

[vetteguy53081]

Everything is just a bandaid fix unless you address the underlying water parameter problems. All your coral will die. Your alk is to low you mag is to high and your nitrate and phosphate are 0. You will have never ending tank problems until you correct these areas. Some of the steps people mentioned will help but the tank problems will never go away.

On my 660g I treated once over 2 years ago and it never returned
In my 135g , I saw it starting in July and stopped it before it progressed and that too never returned
The bacteria used was micro bacter 7 but the bacter XLM is even better

 

[vetteguy53081]

Thanks for the help guys.

Currently i don't have much in hand to be able to do much, i will get the nitrifying bacteria though.

So i just started by manually removing the excess with a toothbrush and siphoning, and have UV on as it can't hurt.
Also dosed the hydrogen peroxide 3% as you recommended.

Im just worried with the nitrates 0 or close to 0 wouldn't my nitrifying bacteria suffer from it?
Also i do have an acropora frag, a montipora frag and a few LPS. Would the lower lights be terrible to them?

Also i do have some live phytoplankton in a bottle i got from a local. Would that help fight the dinos or would just make it worst?


Cheers

What test kits are you using?

 

[vetteguy53081]

Hi guys,

This is my first reef tank, its been setup for 2 months so far, though i did preserve the media that it came with so i barely had a cycle.

The tank was going really good till the past 2 weeks which i had increased feeding quite a bit and not sure if it was because i decreased it suddenly but i got a boom of some sort of algae.

I've done a Phosphate test = 0 and Nitrate between 0-5 which i assume it would be 0 as its very clear.

Alkalinity = 7
Mg = ~1600
CA = ~420
Salinity = 35ppm

Skimmer is running

Any help will be welcome thanks.


See some photos below that i have just taken:

I’m at work and didn’t have time to mention parameters

do not chase numbers but aim for:
Temperature 76-79
Salinity. 1.025
Ph 77-79
Alk 8-11
Mag 1300
Ca. 440
Nitrate <.10-15
Phosphate. <.04

muse these as ranges
If you’re using API test kits, you may be getting false readings

 

[Just John]

When treating, keep in mind that your UV filter will cause the H2O2 to break down more rapidly, so consider keeping it off for up to 4 hours after adding that. Also keep it off for at least a couple of hours after adding bacteria. The bacteria bottle should talk more about that.